A prominent international advocate is warning that Toronto's institutional tolerance of anti-Israel activism is creating dangerous conditions for the city's Jewish population, with fears that deadly violence could be the next escalation.
Repeated Attacks on Synagogues
Aviva Klompas, founder and CEO of the pro-Israel think tank Boundless, told the Toronto Sun that the recent attack on Kehillat Shaarei Torah on Bayview Avenue marks a disturbing turning point. This was the tenth time the orthodox synagogue has been targeted by anti-Israel activists in just two years.
"The message being sent is that Jews can be targeted, and there are no consequences in Toronto," Klompas said. "If any other house of worship was vandalized 10 times, it would be a national emergency."
Klompas has personal connections to the targeted synagogue, having grown up attending services there and celebrating her bat mitzvah at the location. Toronto Police have yet to make an arrest in connection with the latest incident, which involved a suspect using a hammer to damage the property.
Wave of Intimidation Since October 7
Toronto and Canada have experienced a significant increase in anti-Jewish intimidation since the October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel. Far-left and anti-Israel activists have held regular protests, including intimidation marches through Toronto's Jewish neighborhoods.
The violence has extended beyond synagogues. Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School, an all-girl Jewish school in Downsview, has been the target of repeated shootings. In another recent incident, five people were charged after far-left activists broke a glass door to disrupt an event hosted by a Toronto Metropolitan University student organization supporting Israel.
Those charged include Nicole Baiton, 25, of Oakville, Kiana Alexis, 22, of Toronto, Fatimah Mugni, 23, of Toronto, Chelsea Wu, 29, of Toronto and Manal Kamran, 21, of Toronto. They face various offenses including forcible entry, obstruction, and assaulting police officers.
Calls for Action Instead of Empty Statements
Klompas criticized what she sees as a failure of leadership at multiple levels, with Mayor Olivia Chow and Police Chief Myron Demkiw doing little to address the crisis effectively.
"Everybody's pointing at somebody else," she explained. "It's elected officials pointing at law enforcement, and law enforcement pointing at prosecution, and prosecution pointing at political figures saying we don't have the backing."
She emphasized that the Jewish community needs more than "thoughts and prayers and empty statements." What's required, according to Klompas, is enforcement through arrests, charges, prosecutions, and deterrence.
The advocate expressed grave concerns about the future, stating: "I think it's going to escalate into deadly violence. That is the trajectory we've seen in England, that's the trajectory we've seen not just in Washington, but also in Boulder, Co. where a holocaust survivor was lit on fire."
Klompas concluded that police, lawmakers, and civil leaders need to make it absolutely clear that antisemitic hate crimes will be treated with the full weight of the law, not just a slap on the wrist.
